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Chen's handy treatment wins patient praise

For 60 years, Chen Jiwen, now aged over 80, has been massaging and curing patients for free. With his work well recognized by several honorary certificates, the veteran still sticks to his job.

Chen started to learn massage therapy at age 10 by reading a medical book passed down by his ancestors. In 1949, he set up a clinic at home to treat people after work in a towel factory.

His reputation as a non-charging practitioner spread and in 1981, 52-year-old Chen retired from the factory and focused all his energy on the clinic.

Chen even developed a new therapy which won a state-granted patent. To support Chen, the Jiading government built a two-storey building for him and set up a "Chen Jiwen Massage Clinic Fund Committee."

Chen claims to have treated over 1.09 million patients, including people from around China as well as from Japan, America and Australia.

They were attracted by not only his skill but also his caring nature. Letters of thanks from patients fill the clinic.

"He is so considerate. It's freezing now and he always warms the medical equipment before using it on patients," says Hong Jianzhong, who has suffered from vertebra problems for years.

Cindy Lane, an American Airlines employee, is one of the most impressed. She went to Chen for her bad back problems and the pain disappeared after three months of treatment.

She insisted on paying Chen but he refused. So Lane wrote to Shanghai government officials praising him. As "ancient China had Huatuo, modern China has Chen," she said.

Family support is indispensible to Chen's continuing work. His wife, Xu Xiufang, takes care of family as well as cleaning the clinic. Two sons, Chen Weiguo and Chen Weining, have inherited their father's skills. "I hope they can carry on with this free treatment,"Chen says.


 

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